3. It seems like Zinedine Zidane is near the end of his time as club manager, especially if Real Madrid lose this tie. Is he really a good manager, or has he simply benefited from managing the superstars at Real Madrid? Do you think he’d find similar success at a smaller, less talented club?
I actually think Zidane has worked his way out of the crisis he was in around November or so. I believe that even if Real Madrid go trophy-less this season, Zidane has a good chance of staying on board. The players seem to have faith in him, he’s a club legend, and if anyone could survive a season without silverware at Madrid it’s Zizou.
I think Zidane has definitely benefited from having great players, but I think those players have benefitted from having him as a manager. Just look at how much Zidane has gotten out of Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez this season. Before the Zidane era these guys were bit players at Madrid, and Zidane has turned Asensio into the next big superstar and Vazquez into a player who is now benching Gareth Bale on a regular basis.
You don’t simply win two Champions Leagues in a row by being a chump of a manager, and I think the club recognizes they’ve got something special in Zidane, even if he is incredibly frustrating.
4. Speaking of Zidane, what will his approach to these two matches be?
Who the heck knows.
Seriously, I would love to tell you what I think Zidane’s starting lineup would be, but he is one
of the hardest managers to predict. Just when you think Bale is starting to come into form he’ll bench him for Isco. Then he’ll give Bale and Casemiro a start and then bring them off at half-time. Sometimes he loves Benzema and sometimes he’ll opt for Isco or Asensio instead. And he likes to throw Mateo Kovacic in every now and then just to throw a wrench in things.
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I think, in general, that Zidane will be cautious but proactive. Madrid will go hunting for goals but will also be looking to contain the danger from Robben.
5. You of all people should know Real Madrid well enough to know how to defeat them. What should Jupp Heynckes’ approach with Bayern Munich be? Where, if there are any, are Real’s areas of weakness?
Real Madrid have been incredibly weak in transition. Madrid have never been great at defending, but their defense has been particularly bad this season, and Madrid have found themselves easily caught out and disorganized when trying to run back onto defense.
Bayern should look to exploit Madrid on the counter and use verticality to quickly break Madrid’s lines. There’s pretty much always at least a five to ten minute spell during every game where Madrid’s defensive structure disintegrates, and Bayern should look to exploit those moments when they come.
Another potential weakness is Madrid’s shortcomings in aerial defense. I know this sounds anathema to the Real Madrid of recent seasons who have dominated in the air. But this incarnation of Real Madrid is vulnerable to crosses and headed goals. For two examples of teams who have exploited this weakness, look at Girona’s Christhian Stuani’s performance in their 3-6 loss to Madrid and Juventus’ Mario Manzukic in Juventus’ heartbreaking 3-1 second leg match against Madrid in the quarter-finals. Both players did well exploiting Carvajal in the air, something that is not Dani’s strength.